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Back when gasoline was still $2.00 a gallon, GM threw all their weight behind the GMT-900s to get the vehicles out early. By all accounts, they did a great job and the trucks are at the top of their class.

Now today, gas is fast approaching $4.00 a gallon. GM must pull this same rabbit out their hat again! All of GM's weight needs to be behind the Delta II project. Back burner the next 'Vette, backburner any SUVs that won't be released with a 2-mode at launch, backburner any more Cadillacs.

Delta II needs to be here yesterday.

It must:

Be E85 capable

Have both BAS-II and 2-mode hybrid options

Have interiors that make people say "ZOMG!! This is a GM?"

It must have a wide availability of manual transmission.

It must have class leading fuel economy available in the non-hybrid models.

Simply put, the GMT-900s helped to keep the company alive 3 years ago. Today, fuel efficiency is where it's at. Get there GM.

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Chevrolet just launched the Cobalt XFE on manual transmission models which does have best in class fuel economy. I do think that they need more widely available manual transmissions, but I'm not sure if that will increase the take rate.

While it would be nice, I find it unlikely Delta II is coming any sooner than as scheduled for the 2010 MY. I think we're more likely to see engines like the 1.4 turbo rather than a BAS II or 2-Mode at launch. I don't think there's currently a 2 Mode that will work on the Cobalt and it may be too expensive. I'd like to see BAS II widely available, though - and not just as a "Hybrid" model.

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Chevrolet just launched the Cobalt XFE on manual transmission models which does have best in class fuel economy. I do think that they need more widely available manual transmissions, but I'm not sure if that will increase the take rate.

I don't think that'd work in the US. Something like VW's DSG would work as long as it returned tangible real world fuel economy gains.

I'd like to see BAS II widely available, though - and not just as a "Hybrid" model.

I agree. What I find interesting is how the word 'Hybrid' is becoming a marketing tool, pretty much like 'Fuel Injection' or 'Turbo' once were.

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They also need to have some style, the current Cobalt/G5 get lost in the sea of me too small cars, lets get something that catches your eye. Honda made the new Civic look wild (love it or hate it) and I see them everywhere except rental car lots. They also need to be careful that they don't hand Chevrolet Pontiac's performance (like the current Cobalt SS which is far better then Pontiac's G5 GT).